For the last full week the egg count was back up to 48. Sunday, the last day of the month, and not counted in any week because it is off by itself on the calendar, netted only three eggs, less than half of last week's daily average. The total for the month of November: 179.

I'm making a phone call tonight or tomorrow to take the Rosses in this weekend to be processed. As I mentioned earlier, the White Rock will be making the trip with them.

Then the winter will be quiet - at least until the end of February or so, when I go into Tractor Supply and find that it is once again Chick Days, and see about stocking a new generation.

Actually, though, I'm thinking of ordering through McMurray Hatchery this time out. The plan would be to order straight runs of some breeds I'd like to try out and cull all but one or two of the roos I get, depending on how many hens I'll end up with. By the time they're laying, the last of my original Reds should be finishing up their molting process and heading into their last cycle of laying, which means they could be culled with the fresh meat newcomers.

I should also comment here on a remark my daughter made. She noticed that the coop seemed smellier since getting the meat birds. I'd noticed the same thing, and thought it was because of the added number of birds in the coop. However, I couldn't quite reconcile that because before they came I had as many as 16 birds without the problem.

Then I realized what was going on. The meat birds don't get out and about like the layers do. They just hang around the coop and eat, occasionally venturing out to swipe a few bits of scratch from right outside the door. That, I realized, was the difference. The layers went out to forage and didn't leave their messes all in the coop - they scattered them wherever they foraged. The meat birds on the other hand fouled the nest. They didn't spread the wealth, so to speak. They keep most of it right there in the coop, where it adds... or should I say piles... up quickly.

When all is said and done, I may use dual purpose birds when raising for meat from here on, culling the roos to the dinner table. At least they'll get out and not mess things up quite so badly. Or quickly.